Christmastime is all about family, and that’s especially true for fictional siblings Maddie Holliday (Rosie) and Jem Matthews (Alex), ‘I see my brother, my sister-in-law and my niece and nephew,’ Maddie gushed, whereas Jem is travelling to the Cotswolds to reunite with his relatives ‘seeing family on Boxing Day is a tradition.’
That doesn’t mean that these fictious family members are always nice to their biological brothers, however. ‘I play Hungry Heart by Bruce Springsteen on a loop around Christmas. It really annoys my brother because it isn’t a proper Christmas song! I’m still trying to convince him it is…’
Another Christmas tradition Maddie may have had when she was younger? Watching the Countryfile Christmas special ‘Matt Baker was my first celebrity crush’. Whereas Jem looked to the other side of the (country) pond for his first crush ‘when I was about 11, I saw About Time for the first time, and I thought I had died when Margot Robbie came on the screen.’ We hope someone brought a defibrillator to the Barbie screening!
After that blast from Christmas past, we settled down with The Unfriend cast members to discuss how they spend Christmas present.
1. What are you doing for Christmas this year?
M: I am going home to Brighton to relax and see my cat!
J: I am going to see my extended family in the Cotswold’s.
2. What’s your favourite Christmas song?
M: Mine is my favourtite Christmas song because it isn’t a Christmas song. It is Hungry Heart by Bruce Springsteen. I always say it because it annoys my brother that it isn’t a Christmas song.
J: Hark the Herold
3. What's your favourite backstage tradition during the Christmas season that the audience might not know about?
Both: We do a little fist pump after our intense scene change involving suitcases.
4. What was the first Christmas show you watched at the theatre?
M: I saw Henry Winkler as Captain Hook in a Peter Pan Panto
J: I saw West Side Story around Christmas time, if that counts?
5. If you could perform any Christmas-themed show, which one would it be and why?
J: I want to play Marley in A Christmas Carol.
M: Can I be an Elf in Elf the Musical?
6. Panto dame or panto villain?
M: Villain
J: Dame
7. What are your Christmas traditions?
J: Seeing family on boxing day.
M: That is what I do as well. I see my brother, my sister-in-law and my niece and nephew.
8. What do you hope to find under the tree this year?
J: My next role would be good! Genuinely, socks would be nice. And Maltesers!
M: I just want my cat under the Christmas tree because I have missed her.
9. Which person would you most like to meet under the mistletoe?
M: I am thinking as if I were Rosie’s age, and it would have to be Matt Baker because he was my first celebrity crush.
J: I am thinking about first crushes now and when I was about 11, I saw About Time for the first time, and I thought I had died when Margot Robbie came on the screen.
10. Which Christmas food do you most look forward to?
M: I don’t drink, so the only time I consume alcohol is brandy butter.
J: Candy Canes.
Looking for the perfect Christmas present (or a little treat for yourself) The Unfriend tickets are available to book now!